tomboy

/ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/

//ˈtɒm.bɔɪ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"tomboy" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tomboy” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,738. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,738
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

tomboy vs Tommy
50% similar
tomboy vs Tombs
50% similar
tomboy vs tomb
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for tomboy
PropertyValue
Headwordtomboy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#37,738
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tomboy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). tomboy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around tomboy (IPA /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,738 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for tomboy, with forms such as "otmboy", "tmoboy", and "tobmoy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "Tommy", "Tombs", "tomb", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in The Old Law… The correct English form is tomboy, spelled T-O-M-B-O-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.
  2. 2
    A rude, boisterous boy.
  3. 3
    An immodest or bold woman.
  4. 4
    A butch lesbian.

Etymology

From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in The Old Law (published 1656, thought to have been written circa 1599) "certainly" means a boy: "must young court-tits / play tomboys' tricks with her?" By 1579 it was attested in the meaning "an immodest woman", and by no later than 1592 it had developed its modern meaning of a “girl who acts like a boy”.

This word in other languages

marimacho(Español)garçon manqué(Français)burschikos(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otmboy
  • tmoboy
  • tobmoy
  • tombboy
  • tomboyy
  • tombyo
  • tommboy
  • tomoby
  • ttomboy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tomboy - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

otmboy2tmoboy2tobmoy2tombboy1tomboyy1tombyo2tommboy1tomoby2
Edit distance from "tomboy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tomboy"?
"tomboy" is spelled T-O-M-B-O-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/.
What does "tomboy" mean?
As a noun, "tomboy" means: A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.
What words are commonly confused with "tomboy"?
"tomboy" is commonly confused with "Tommy", "Tombs", "tomb". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tomboy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tomboy" is /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "tomboy"?
From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in T... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “tomboy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-M-B-O-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Tommy” - see the side-by-side comparison. tomboy vs Tommy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list